Issue - meetings

This report sets out the Council’s budget proposals for 2024/25 and 2025/26. It also provides a general update on the Council’s overall financial position, including an overview of the current economic outlook.

Cabinet NOTED the following comments made by Rajas Falker, as a local resident, who had requested to speak at the meeting on the report.  In addressing Cabinet, Mrs Falker advised she was attending the meeting in order to express concerns about the budget saving proposal identified for 2025-26 relating to the potential closure of the New Millennium Day Centre, given the impact it was felt this would have on service users and carers using the Centre.  In outlining the detrimental impact it was felt the proposal would have on the health and wellbeing of existing service users and their carers, the opportunity was also taken to advise members of the much valued level of care and social interaction being provided for vulnerable adults through the Centre which it was felt had enabled them to thrive and flourish in a safe and supportive environment.  Referring to the closure of other surrounding day care centres, Mrs Falker felt it was also important to recognise the importance locally of the service being provided by the New Millennium Day Centre.  Whilst aware of the financial pressures faced by the Council, Mrs Falker ended by urging members to reconsider the saving proposal and to keep the New Millennium Day Centre open to ensure those vulnerable adults and their carers who relied on the service being provided were not adversely impacted and could continue to benefit from the support available through the Centre.

In response, Councillor Nerva (as Cabinet Member for Public Health & Adult Social Care) whilst recognising the concerns highlighted felt it important to begin by outlining the challenging context in which the budget proposals presented for consideration had needed to be developed.  This had included the impact arising from austerity and the cumulative funding cuts which had been imposed on local authorities by the current Conservative Government along with their failure to deliver reform of the social care system.  These challenges had been compounded, particularly in relation to adult social care providers across all sectors, by the wider economic and inflationary cost pressures currently being experienced alongside an increase in demand for services.  Faced with the pressures identified the Council had needed to consider ways in which Adult Social Care services could continue to be delivered as effectively and sustainably as possible working in partnership across a range of sectors whilst also seeking to support and maximise, as part of a wider transformation process, the independence of service users.

In terms of the specific proposal identified, Mrs Falker and Cabinet were assured that the decision due to be taken at this stage was to commence a wider community and service user consultation and engagement process on the budget proposals identified.  As part of the consultation process outlined, Councillor Nerva and Councillor Tatler (as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Reform) confirmed that this would include users of the New Millennium Day Centre and would involve a full assessment of options and alternative provision prior to any final decision being  ...  view the full decision text for item 7

Prior to consideration of the report, Councillor Muhammed Butt (Leader of the Council) invited Rajas Falker, a local resident who had requested to speak on the item, to address the meeting.  Having introduced herself, Mrs Falker advised she was attending the meeting in order to express concerns about the budget saving proposal identified for 2025-26 relating to the potential closure of the New Millennium Day Centre, given the impact it was felt this would have on service users and carers using the Centre.  In outlining the detrimental impact she felt the proposal would have on the health and wellbeing of existing service users and their carers the opportunity was also taken to advise members of the much valued level of care and social interaction being provided for vulnerable adults using the Centre, which she advised had enabled those individuals to thrive and flourish in a safe and supportive environment.  Referring to the closure of other surrounding day care provision, Mrs Falker felt it was also important to recognise the importance locally of the service being provided by the New Millennium Day Centre.  Whilst aware of the financial pressures faced by the Council, Mrs Falker ended by urging members to reconsider the saving proposal and to keep the New Millennium Day Centre open to ensure those vulnerable adults and their carers who relied on the service being provided were not adversely impacted and could continue to benefit from the support available through the Centre.

In response Councillor Nerva (as Cabinet Member for Public Health & Adult Social Care) whilst recognising the concerns highlighted, felt it important to begin by outlining the challenging context in which the budget proposals presented for consideration had needed to be developed.  This had included the impact arising from austerity and the cumulative funding cuts which had been imposed on local authorities by the current Conservative Government along with their failure to deliver reform of the social care system.  These challenges had been compounded, particularly in relation to adult social care providers across all sectors, by the wider economic and inflationary cost pressures currently being experienced alongside an increase in demand for services.  Faced with the pressures identified the Council had needed to consider ways in which Adult Social Care services could continue to be delivered as effectively and sustainably as possible working in partnership across a range of sectors whilst also seeking to support and maximise, as part of a wider transformation process, the independence of service users.

In terms of the specific proposal identified, Mrs Falker was assured that the decision outlined for consideration at this stage was to commence a wider community and service user consultation and engagement process on the budget proposals identified.  As part of the consultation process outlined, Councillor Nerva and Councillor Tatler (as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Reform) confirmed this would include users of the New Millennium Day Centre and would involve a full assessment of options and alternative provision prior to any final decision  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7